This invention relates in general to page description language and, more particularly, to remotely implementing a page description language.
A page description language (PDL) is a language for describing the layout and contents of a printed page. PDLs are composed of commands, or operators, for directing the composition of the printed page. Each PDL command provides instructions that are used to create a raster image of the page to be printed. A printer then prints the raster image.
Most modern printers include executable code for translating PDL commands into a raster image of the page to be printed. The executable code for translating the PDL commands into a raster image is conventionally embedded in the firmware of the printer.
Since the code is embedded in the firmware of the printer, in order to replace the code, the firmware of the printer must be modified. Conventionally, the firmware is modified by adding or replacing an integrated circuit, such as a DIMM, that has been encoded with the new executable code. Adding or replacing the integrated circuit with the new code is often difficult for most printer owners.
In addition, in the process of creating or modifying the executable code, it is often desirable to test the executable code. Testing the executable code conventionally requires an integrated circuit be programmed, or xe2x80x9cburnedxe2x80x9d, with the executable code and then installed in a printer. The process of programming the integrated circuit with the executable code is usually time consuming and potentially expensive.
According to principles of the present invention, a print job representing a visible output of a document is created from a print job representing the document. The print job contains page description language (PDL) commands. The PDL commands are sent to a computing device where executable code, such as a computer program, translates the PDL commands into a raster image. The raster image is then communicated to an input output (I/O) interface of an imaging system. The I/O interface communicates the raster image to a printing subsystem where the raster image is printed.
According to further principles of the present invention, the print job may be first sent to the computing device for creating the raster image, then the raster image sent to the imaging system. Alternatively, the print job may be first sent to the imaging system where it is redirected to the computing device. The print job is then communicated to the computing device where the raster image is created from the print job. The raster image is then returned to the imaging system for printing.
Other objects, advantages, and capabilities of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds.